The present invention relates to the field of ankle stabilizing devices, and more specifically, to ankle stabilizing devices that utilize a lace-eyelet type fastener to secure a foot and ankle within the device.
As known to participants in athletics, the ankle is often injured as a result of contact with other participants or items of equipment, or as a result of the ankle assuming an unnatural position during play. Injuries typically occur during motions typically associated with athletics such as running, jumping, falling, or the like. Specifically, ankles are particularly vulnerable to sprains, fractures, and the like.
Athletes at risk for ankle injuries often utilize some form of ankle support during participation in sporting events. A large number of ankle injuries occur when the foot rolls or falls inwardly (referred to as “inversion”) when the outer, or lateral, ligaments are stretched too far, or outwardly (referred to as “eversion”) when the inner ligament (i.e., deltoid ligament) is stretched too far. Many athletes rely upon taping to provide supplemental ankle support, whereby the athlete or trainer winds athletic tape around the athlete's ankle to thereby limit the motion of the ankle relative to the leg. Although taping stabilizes the ankle against undesired motion, a number of drawbacks exist. For example, taping may restrict all motion of the ankle, both desirable and undesirable. The restrictive characteristics of taping thus hinder the athlete's ability to perform. Further, tape tends to stretch and loosen as the athlete moves, thereby decreasing its effectiveness in supporting the ankle.
Known stabilizing devices include boot-shaped members or sleeves which cover the athlete's foot and ankle and include supplemental straps designed to wrap around and stabilize certain areas of the individual's foot and ankle. Many known stabilizing devices include a lace-eyelet type fastener to secure a foot and ankle within the device. The laces are typically threaded through the eyelets and the device may be tightened around the foot and ankle by pulling on the laces.
Lace-eyelet type fasteners have been utilized in the shoe and boot industry for decades. In the context of shoes and boots, lace-eyelet type fasteners present a few problems that have been identified including the ability of the laces to slip or loosen in the eyelets and the ability of the shoe or boot's tongue to slide underneath the laces. Various solutions have been employed to prevent these problems.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,466 describes a lacing system that includes locking eyelets located at the upper end of the shoe (i.e., towards the ankle rather than towards the toe end of the foot). The locking eyelets help to prevent the laces from slipping or loosening.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,613 describes a shoe tongue holder assembly designed to prevent the tongue of a shoe from sliding. The shoe tongue holder assembly includes hook and loop fasteners at the upper end of the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,589 describes an apparatus that secures both the laces and tongue of a shoe to prevent loosening of the laces and slipping of the tongue. The shoe-wearer first ties a knot in the shoelaces and then clamps the two jaws of the apparatus around the knot. The apparatus is secured to the upper end of the tongue where the laces are tied.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,096 describes an assembly to secure the tongues of lace-type shoes in stationary position. The assembly is placed at the upper end of the tongue because the toe-end of the tongue is secured to the shoe. The assembly requires a special lacing configuration to secure the placement of the tongue.
Thus, a variety of solutions have been proposed for the problems associated with lace-type fasteners that are specific to shoes or boots. In the context of ankle stabilizing devices, however, utilizing a lace-eyelet type fastener presents a unique set of problems that none of the previously discussed documents address.
For example, ankle stabilizing devices typically use lace-type fasteners that extend up the ankle to the lower portion of the leg (i.e., higher up the leg than typical shoes). Thus, unlike lace-up shoes or boots, lace-up ankle brace removal involves unlacing all but the last few rows of the paired eyelets each and every time the ankle brace is removed. The brace removal process is often done with haste whereby the user quickly “whips” the laces out of enough of the eyelets to slide the brace off of the foot and ankle.
The typical ankle stabilizing device removal process leaves the lace uncentered because a significant portion, if not a majority, of the lace has been loosened from the eyelets. The uncentered positioning of the lace is generally only discovered after a subsequent user completely re-laces the brace and attempts to tie the lace. The user must then unlace the brace, center the lace, and re-lace the brace prior to use. This process is time consuming and frustrating for the subsequent user. The previously discussed documents fail to provide a solution to this problem because they impede typical fitting, use, removal, and refitting of an ankle stabilizing device.
Therefore, a need exists for an ankle stabilizing device that includes a lace-eyelet type fastener and facilitates the fitting, use, removal, and refitting of an ankle stabilizing device.